Combination stop action for organs



July 15, 1930. M. Hess ET AL 11,770,752

COIBINATION STOP ACTION FOR ORGANS Filed Oct. 17, 1928 3 Sheets- Sheet 1 M X #555, ALBERT A/ 505%! July 15, 1930. M. HESS ET AL 1,770,752

COMBINATION STOP ACTION FOR ORGANS Filed Oct. 1'7, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MAX fleas.

A BEE'T M T fivqg g ee W Patented July 15, 1930 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAX HESS AND ALBERT N. BOEHM, OFST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS TO GEORGE KILGEN &: SON, INC., OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI COMBINATION STOP ACTION FOR ORGANS Application filed October 17, 1928. Serial No. 313,146.

This invention relates to combination stop actions for organs, and has for its main object to provide an organ action of the general type mentioned, whose parts are so constructed and combined that the action is rellable and quiet in operation. Other objects and desirable features of our invention will be hereinafter pointed out. o

The conventional combination stop action 10 for organs comprises stop keys, rockable members combined with the stop keys and adapted to be used to actuate organ stops and to move the stop keys into their on and off positions, a plurality of reciprocating 1 members governed by separate controlling elements which usually consist of push button plunger-s, and shiftable tappets combined with the rockable members and reciprocating members in such a way that the or anist, by properly manipulating the stop eys and push button plungers, can adjust the action in such a manner that different combinations of stops can be rendered operative to produce different tone shades during the rendition of 5 a selection, simply by manipulating the push button plungers. As is well understood by those skilled in the art, the combinations are set up preparatory to rendering the selection, and the procedure used to set up each combination consists in manipulating one of the push button plungers so as to effect a change in the position of the particular reciprocating member that is associated with that plunger, and thereafter, while said reciprocating member is retained in its shifted position, manipulating the stop keys associated with the organ stops that the organist desires to use to produce the combination or tone shade, thereby causing the rockable members that are associated with said stop keys to co-act with the shifted reciprocating member and with the tappets associated with those particular organ stops, to move said tappets into a different position. Each combination or tone shade is set up in the same way and the various stop keys and push button plunger-s are returned to their normal position before the organist starts playing the selection. At the point in the selection 50 where it is desired to produce a certain combination or tone shade the organist manipulates the plunger which previously was used in the operationof setting up that combination. WVhen said plunger is actuated the reciprocating member controlled by same will move, with the result that the tappets, previously shifted inthe operation of setting up that combination, will impart movement to the rockable members associated with the stop keys used in the operation of setting up the combination, the movement of said roc able members causing the stop keys to move into their on position and also causing the organ stops used to produce this particular combination to become operative.

Our improved combination stop action has the same principle of operation as conventional combination stop actions for organs, and comprises parts which are similar to the stop keys, 'rockable members, reciprocating members and tappets of conventional combination stop actions. It is distinguished, however, from conventional combination actions in the following respects:

(1) The reciprocating members associated with the push button plungers or other controlling elements consist of sheet metal stampings constructed in the form of frames provided with openings through which pass the rockable members that are combined with the stop keys;

(2) Each of said reciprocating members is preferably constructed so that it will co-act with a plurality of rows of rockable members associated with a plurality of banks of stop keys; I

The tappets which co-act with the reciprocating members and rockable members in the operation of setting up the different combinations, consist of metal devices pivotally mounted on the reciprocating members in a novel manner and associated with a friction holding means of'novel construction that insures said tappets being held securely in their on or off position;

(-1) The rockable members associated with the stop keys are formed from sheet metal stampings and have pieces of fabric or other suitable non-metallic material connected to same so as to form striking surfaces that Ill eliminate noise when said rockable members co-act with the tappets; and

The shafts or trunnions of the rock able members are journaled in bearings formed from pieces of felt or other suitable soft, non-metallic material that are mounted in a novel way on supporting plates.

Our invention is applicable to electricallyopcrated, pneumatically-operated, or mechanically-operated combination stop actions Ior organs.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a fragmentary top plan view, partly in horizontal section, of a con'ibination stop action for organs embodying our present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view, taken on the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure at is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, taken on the line i4l of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of one of the shaft bearings.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of one of the shaft supporting plates, illustrating the manner of connecting the shaft bearings to said plate.

Figure 7 is a perspective view, illustrating the bearing member of one of the stop keys.

Figure 8 is an enlarged side elevational view of one of the reciprocating frames.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one of the rockable members associated with the stop keys; and

Figure 10 is a sectional view, taken on the line 10-10 of Figure 8, illustrating the construction of the friction holding device with which each of the tappets is equipped so as to eliminate accidental movement of the tappet.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of our invention, A designates the stop keys of our improved combination stop action for organs, B designates the rockable members that are adapted to be used to transmit movement to and from said keys, C designates the reciprocating members arranged to move at right angles to the rockable members B, D designates the push button plungers or other controlling elements that are used to govern the operation of the reciprocating members C. and E designates the shiftable tappets on the members C that are adapted to be set in different positions by manipulating the stop keys, so as to produce different combinations or tone shades. In the electrically-operated action herein shown each of the rockable members B is combined with a circuit-closing device 1 that is adapted to co-operate with contacts 2, as shown in Figure 3, so as to control a separate organ stop, as will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art. A separate push button plunger or controlling element 1) is )rovided for each of the reciprocating mem bers C, and the manipulation or movement. of one of said plungers D into its operative position causes the reciprocating member C that is associated with that particular plunger to move longitudinally in one direction. The means that is used for ellecting this movement of the reciprocating members C of the action, consisting of a solenoid F, a rock shaft 3 adapted to be actuated by said solenoid, a longitudinally-disposed vane or blade at on said shaft, and ho: is 5 pivoi'ally connected to the reciprocating members C and arranged to slide on levers (3, formed preferably of non-magnetic n'laterial. to which are attached the armatures 7 of electroaiiagnets T which are capable of being energized inde' pendently of each other so as to raie the hook 5 of a selected member C into a position to be engaged and moved by the rock shaft 2-3 when the solenoid F is energized. \Vhen one of the plunger-s D is moved inwardly, a circuit-closing device 8 that is combined with said plunger will first engage a contact 9 that forms part of the energizing circuit of the magnet 7 which is associated with that particular plunger D, thus closing the circuit and causing the armature 6 of said magnet to raise the hook 5 on the reciprocating member C that is associated with that particular plunger D, and thereafter, during the continued inward movement of said. plunger the circuit-closing device 8 will engage a contact 10 in the circuit of the solenoid F, with the result that said solenoid will operate and cause the shaft 3 to rock in a direction to cause the vane or blade 4 on said shaft to engage the raised hook 5 and impart longitudinal movement to the reciprocating member C attached to said hook. As soon as the plunger D is released, the said circuits are restored to their normal open conditions, the hook 5 on the reciprocating member C drops back to its normal position, the shaft 3 rocks back to its normal position and the reciprocating menr ber C to which said hook 5 is connected is restored to its normal position by a spring 11, shown in Figure 1, that is attached to a rock-' able member, similar in general design to the members B, and arranged so that it normally exerts pressure on all of the members C in a direction tending to hold said members C in their normal position.

The shiftable tappcts E on the reciprocating members C are used primarily for transmitting movement from the reciprocating members C to the rockable members B. Each of said tappet-s E is capable of assuming an on position and an oil position, and the setting or shifting of said tappets E is effected by first pushing in the controlling plunger D of the reciprocating member C that carries the tappets which are used in the operation of producing a certaincOmbi nation or tone shade,'thus causing the member C to move away from its normal, inactive position, and thereafter, while said member G is maintained in its shifted position. manipulating the stop keys A that correspond to the organ stops which are used to produce this combination or tone shade, the

,movement of the stop keys causing the rockable members B to engage and shift the proper tappets so as to set said tappets. The reciprocating members C are arranged edgewise in parallel relation to each other and at right angles to the rockable members B, and the tappets E are pi\-'otally mounted on the members C in such a way that one tappet is provided on each of the reciprocating members C for each of the rockable members B. Any suitable means can be used for connecting the stop keys A with the rockable members B, the means herein illustrated for this purpose consisting of vertically-disposed links 12 pivotally connected to the inner ends of the stop keys A and attached 'tfltl'ilnli arms 13 on the shafts of the rockable members B. The stop keys A are mounted on a frame member G in such a way that each stop key is capable of being shifted from its off position shown in broken lines in 1* 1g.- ure 4 into its on position, shown in full i, lines in said figure. Springs 14 of conventional construction are provided for holding or oil 1)0S1-' the stop keys A in their on tions. The action herein llustrated 1S equipped with two banks of stop keys, each of which banks is associated with a separate row of rockable members B, but it will, of

course, be understood that our invention is applicable toa combination act on provided with a single bank or a plurality of banks of stop keys. It is believed that the foregoing general description of our improved action sutlicientlv clear and comprehensive to enable those skilled in the art to understand how the action operates.

As previously stated, the main ob ect of our invention is to provide a combination stop action for organs that is reliable and quiet in operation. In order to attain these highly desirable results we construct the rockable members B and the reciprocating members C from light-weight sheet metal stampings that can be accurately formed and which will be sure to retain their original form after long or continuous usage. We also construct the tappets E from sheet metal stampings and equip each of said tappets with a friction holding device of novel construction that securely holds the tappct in either of its two adjusted positions. but'permits the tappet to move easily in the operation of setting up the tappets to produce a particular combination or tone shade. In order to eliminate a metallic sound caused by the co-action of the rockable members B and tappets E, thestriking surfaces on one of fabric or other suitable relatively soft or pliable, non-metallic material. The rockaole members B are provided with shafts or trunnions that are oscillatingly mounted in supporting plates and said plates are provided with bearings for said shafts or trunnions that are formed from pieces of felt or other suitable material of a similar nature that are housed'in' or encased in metal holders which are attached to the shaft supporting plates.

All of the reciprocatingmembers C are of the same construction and each of said members is formed from a metal plate that is provided adjacent its longitudinal edges with pressed ribs 15 that impart sufficient stiffness to the plate to prevent it from bending out of shape. As shown in Figure 4, the members C are arranged edgewise or vertically in parallel relationship with each other and the top and bottom edge portions of same are slidingly mounted in grooves formed in horizontally-disposed guides 16. Holes 17 are formed in the members C so as to permit the rockable members B to pass transversely through said members, which holes 17 are made wide enough to provide for the reciproeating movement of the members C previously referred to. In instances where the action is provided with two banks of stop keys A, as herein shown, each of which banks co-operates with a separate row of rockable members B, the reciprocating members 0 are provided with two horizontal rows of holes 17 to receive the separate rows of rockable members B, thereby reducing the number of parts of the action. I

The tappets E are duplicates of each other and each of said tappets is preferably formed from a piece of sheet metal bent or folded so as to produce a device of substantially 'U-shape or channel shape in cross section that comprises two parallel side portions 18 which are adapted to embrace a web piece 19 on the reciprocating member G on which the tappet is mounted. The web piece 19 is provided intermediate its ends with a laterally-projecting extension having a recess 20 in the end of same that forms a bearing on which the tappet is rockably mounted. Holes 21 are formed in the fold or edge of the tappet where the two side portions of same are joined together, 30 as to form a bridge piece 22 on the tappet that is seated in the recess 20 on the web piece 19, the portion of said Web piece in which said recess 20 is formed being preferably made of slightly bifurcated shape or provided with prongs that project outwardly through which it embraces, are so proportioned that said web piece will serve a stop to limit the movement of the tappet when it is shifted from one position to the other. A tappet of the construction above described is light in weight; it is sufficiently strong and rigid to prevent it from bending out of shape; and it is easy to assemble with or disassemble from the member C on which it mounted.

The means that we prefer to use for holding the tappets E in adjusted posit-ion consists of projections mounted preferably on the member C, and co-operating recesses or pockets on the tappets arranged so as to snap into engagement with said project-ions. Each tappet is equipped with a friction holding device of the general character above mentioned, and in the preferred form of our invention as herein illustrated the partof the holding device previously referred to as a projection is formed by a small ball 23 mounted in the web portion 19 of the member C at a point in horizontal alignment with the bearing surface 20 on said web piece on which the tappet rocks. Each side portion 18 of the tappet is provided with two spaced pockets or depressions 24, as shown in Figure 10, disposed so that when the tappet is arranged in its on position, the ball 23 ill be seated in one of the pairs of pockets or depressions 24 in the tapp et, and when the tappet is arranged in its ofi" position, the said ball 23 will be seated in the other pair of pockets or depressions 24 in the tappet. lVhile said co-operating parts 23 and securely hold the tappetin adjusted posit on, nevertheless, said parts are of such design that they may permit the tappet to sh ft from one position to the other when it is being actuated by the rockable member B with which it co -operates during the operation of setting up a combination.

The rockable members B are formed from sheet metal stampings, and each of said members has a central shaft receiving portion 25 that partially surrounds or embraces a shaft 26. Project ig laterally from said shaft recciving portion 25 are two wings 25 that are preferably made of irregular shape or angle shape in cross section, so as to iinpa rt strength and rigidity to the same. The wings 25 are covered on one side with strips 27 of fabric or other suitable soft or slightly resilient material that form striking surfaces which engage the tappets E in the operation of setting up a combination, thus producing an organ action that is quiet in operation, due to the fact that metallic sounds will not be produced by the co-action of the tappets E and the rockable members B. The strips of fabric 27 can be retained in position in various ways without departing from the spirit of our invention, but we prefer to provide each of the members B with integral tongues or fingers 28 that are adapted to be bent into overlapping relationship with the inner edges of the fabric strips 27', and make the longitudinal edge portions of the member B substantial- .ly channel-shaped so that the outer edge portions of the fabric strips .27 can be inserted in same and then secured by crimping or bending said channel shaped edge portions. The shaft 26 with which each of the members B is combined can be secured to said member in any suitable way, usually by soldering said shaft to the shaft-receiving portion of the member E.

The shafts 26 of the rockable members 13 are journaled in bearings of novel construction carried by vertically-disposed plates 2!) that are arranged transversely of the mean bers B, as shown in Figure 1. The shaft bear ings on the plates 29 are constructed in the manner shown in Figures 5 and 6, and each of said bearings comprises an aimular-shaped piece 30 of felt or other suitable material through which the shaft passes, and a holder 31 of substantially annular shape in outline formed preferably from a sheet metal stamping and provided at one edge with a flange 3:? that is adapted to lap over the felt portion 30 of the bearing and clamp it against the supporting plate 29. The holder 31 is secured to the plate 29 preferably by prongs 33 on the holder, which, after they have been inserted through slots in the plate 29, are bent over, thereby securing the holder to the plate in such a way that it is impossible for the felt portion of the bearing in which the shaft turns to become loose and drop out of position. Longitudinal movement of the shafts 26 of the rockable members 13 is prevented by retaining rings 34 mounted in annular grooves in said shafts, as shown in F igure 5, at one side of felt washers through which the shafts pass. Each of the shafts 26 is provided adjacent its opposite ends with retaining rings 3% of the kind shown in Figure 5, which retaining rings and co-acting washers 35 are arranged on the outside of the shaft supporting plates 2! Each of the stop keys A is formed preferably from a tablet or finger piece 36, constructed usually from ivory, celluloid or some other suitable composition, and a metallic bearing member 37 attached in any suitable ay to said linger piece and provided on its underside with atubular portion 38 through which a horizontallywlisposed shaft 3.) passes. As shown in Figure 7, and also in Figure 1, each of the stop key bearing members 37 is provided on its upper side with an integral, upwardly-projecting arm 37 that acts as a support for the lower end of the spring let that is associated with the stop key of which the bearing member 37 forms a part. A single shaft 39 is provided for sup porting all of the stop keys of each bank, and said shaft is sustained by brackets 40 that project inwardly from a supporting plate 41 which is attached to the inner side of the frame member G. In an action provided with two or more banks of stop keys a single supporting plate 41 sulfices for both banks of stop keys, said plate having two sets of integralbrackets or cars 40 projecting invv'ardly from same and produced preferably by slitting the plate and then bending the slilitcd portions into such a position that they are disposed at right angles to the face of the plate. Each set of cars 40 has longitudinally-aligned holes in same, and in the operation of mounting the stop keys A, it is only necessary to slip the shaft 39 associated with each bank of stop keys through the tubular portions 38 on the metallic members 37 of said keys and through the ears ll) on the supporting plate 41 so as to form a unit, which thereafter can be easily mounted on the frame member G.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a combination stop action for organs, a rockable member, a reciprocating member arranged to move at an angle to the rockable member, a pivotally mounted tappet on said reciprocating member for co-operating with said rockable member, provided with parallel portions that lap over the opposite sides of a web piece on said reciprocating member, and a friction holding means for the tappet composed of a device mounted in said web piece and interposed between the parallel portions of the tappet that embrace said web piece, co-acting devices on said web piece and on the portions of the tappet that embrace said web piece. r

2. In a combination stop action for organs, a rockable member, a reciprocating member arranged to move at an angle to the rockable member, a pivotall mounted tappet on said reciprocating mem er for co-operating with said rockable member, provided with parallel portions that lap over the opposite sides of a web piece on said reciprocating member, a ball set in said web iece, and depressions or pockets in the paral el portions of the tappet that embrace said web piece and ball, disposed so as to co-operate with said ball to hold the tappet in differentpositions.

3. In a combination stop action for organs, a rockable member, a reciprocating member arranged to move at an angle to said rockable member and provided with a hole through which the rockable member passes, a tappet pivotally mounted on said reciprocating member at one side of said hole for co-operating with said rockable member, and co-acting devices on said tappet-and on the member on which it is mounted for frictionally holding the tappet in a plurality of different positions.

4. In a combination stop action for organs, a rockable member, a reciprocating member arranged to move at an angle to said rockable member, a tappet of substantially U-shape or channel shape in cross section arranged to embrace a web piece on said reciprocating member, a bearing on said web piece on which the tappet is rockably mounted, portions on said bearing that, project throu h holes in the tappet, and a friction means for preventing the tappet from moving accidentally relatively to said web piece.

5. In a combination stop action for organs, a rockable member, a reciprocating member arranged to move at an angle to said rockable member, a tappet of substantially U-shape or channel shape in cross section arranged to embrace a web piece on said reciprocating member, a bearing on said web piece on which the tappet is rockably mounted, portions on said bearing that project through holes in the tappet, a ball set in said web piece, and a plurality of spaced recesses or depressions in the side pieces of the tappet disposed so as to snap into engagement with said ball in different positions of the tappet.

6. In a combination stop action for organs, a rockablemember, a reciprocating member arranged to move at an angle to said rockable member and provided with a hole through which said rockable member extends, a web piece on said reciprocating member, arranged at one side of said hole, a shiftable tappet provided with a bifurcated portion that straddles said web piece, said tappet being capable of occupying two different positions, a friction means for holding the tappet, comprising a projection on the web piece arranged within the bifurcated portion of the tappet and disposed in horizontal alignment'with the axis of movement of the tappet, and spaced recesses or depressions on the tappet, one of which co-operates with said projection to hold the tappet in one of its positions and the other adapted to co-opcrate with the projection to hold the tappet in its other position.

7. In a combination stop action for organs, a rockable member, a reciprocating member arranged to move at an angle to the rockable member and constructed from ametal plate thathas a hole in same through which the rockable member passes, pressed ribs on said plate located adjacent the longitudinal edges of same for reinforcing and strengthening the plate, and a shiftable tappet on said plate that is adapted to co-operate with said rockable member.

8. In a'combination stop action for organs, a plurality of banks or stop keys, a plurality of rows of rockable members operatively connected with said step keys, reciprocating members arranged to move at an angle to sai rockable members, each of said reciprocating members having a plurality of rows of holes in same through which the difierent rows of rockable members pass, and shiftable tappets on said reciprocating members that co-operate with said rockable members.

9. In a combination stop action for organs, rockable members constructed of metal, reciprocating members arranged to move at an angle to said rockable members, shiftable tappets constructed of metal mounted on said reciprocating members and adapted to co-operate with said rockable members, and means for preventing a metallic noise from being produced when said tappets co-act with said rockable members.

10. A combination stop action for organs provided with a rockable member that is adapted to co-operate with a tappet, said roclrable member being constructed of metal and comprisinga shaft-receiving portion, blades that pro1ect laterally from said shaftreceiving portion. and strips of material attached to said blade so as to form striking surfaces.

ll. A combination stop action for organs provided with a rockable member that is adapted to co-operate with a tappet, said rockable member being constructed of metal, strips of material positioned on said member so as to form striking surfaces, and integral portions on said member bent into engagement with said strips so as to retain them in position.

12. In a combination stop action for oren us. a rockable member constructed of metal, a reciprocating member formed from a metal plate provided with a hole through which said rockable member passes, a metallic tappet pivotally mounted on said reciprocating member and adapted to co-operate with said rockahle member. and strips of soft or pliaole material secured to said rockable memher by integral portions of same that form strikin f1 surfaces on said rockable member on which said tappet acts.

1%. In an organ action, the combination of a shaft. a part through which the shaft passes, a bearing for said shaft comprising a piece of non-metallic material that surrounds the shaft. and a holder for said non-metallic piece detachably connected to the part through. which the shaft passes and provided with a portion that laps over said non-metallic piece.

M. In an organ action, the combination of a shaft, a part through which the shaft passes, a bearing for said shaft comprising an annular-shaped piece of felt or the like that surrounds the shaft. a substantially annularshaped holder for said felt piece formed of metal. a flange on said holder that laps over said felt piece. and prongs on said holder for securing it to the part through which the shaft passes.

MAX HESS. ALBERT N. BOEHM. 

